Revisiting McFarland Park

My family went to McFarland Park in Ames while my sister Sarah was visiting. It was a very nice day--fairly cool and sunny. We went for a longer walk this time, into the woods and on the prairie.

The reflection on the pond made it appear have a sheet of ice on its surface.

A dry, stony creek bed.

I learned to identify a new tree by its distinctive bark: hackberry.

Sarah examines a rock left behind by a long-gone glacier. A reminder of what formed Iowa's landscape.

The plants that grow in the woods are not the same as those that grow on the prairie (for the most part) and I do not know what this is. But it is pretty.

The trail leads out of the woods and onto a tall grass prairie. Not very many flowers are blooming this time of year, but it is not difficult to find rose hips and some asters, and some others I'm only learning to ID now.

After our walk, we visited the Story County Conservation Center located in the park. There is a bird watching area in the building and from there we could see this goldfinch. I had to snap a photo because while I have seen quite a few goldfinches out on the prairie, I can never get close enough and they never stay still enough to take a photo.

I hope to enjoy McFarland Park again. There are still more areas of trail I haven't been on yet. It's very conveniently close to Ames. I like that it offers both wooded and grassy areas. I'm excited to visit at different times of year and see what plants I can ID in the spring and mid-summer. I expect to find some of my favorites!